The Loon Rangers
Restoring a national icon takes luck, patience, and
more than a little guile. The backing of a billionaire
helps quite a bit, too.
Under a gray sky on the eastern border of Grand
Teton National Park, Arizona Lake looks like slate
in the deep parts, like weak tea in the shallows,
where the trap waits.
Onshore a clutch of scientists huddles behind
camouflage netting as a small loudspeaker blares
loon calls. It’s a challenge meant to inspire a bird
to battle and, soon enough, a male Common Loon
drifts from the distant reeds to the middle of the
lake. He does a chest-puffing penguin dance,
warning the noisy plastic decoy off his turf. Canada
Geese arrive in a raucous vee, but the agitated
target remains out of range. ...
http://www.audubon.org/magazine/january-
february-2015/pulling-north-americas-loons-back-
brink
Posts
